Bag handle



P 1942- R. T. MOORE 2,294,848

BM; HANDLE Filed July 3, 1940 Patented Sept. 1, 1942 mo mmnm Royal T.Moore, Buffalo, N. Y., asaignor to Consolidated Packaging MachineryCorporation, a corporation of New York Application July 3, 1940, SerialNo. 343,772

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in bags andparticularly seeks to provide a multi-ply paper bag having a novelhandle portion integral therewith and formed from the closure portionthereof.

It has been found that heavy bags containing relatively large weights offilled material, such as 25 pounds of flour or sugar, are rathercumbersome and awkward for an individual to carry. This is especiallytrue in the instances where a retail purchaser must carry a number ofsmaller packages in addition to the heavy bag of flour or the like.

Many handles and carrying devices have been heretofore devised to enablea purchaser to carry a heavy filled bag with a minimum of difliculty,but these devices are invariably either separate carrying straps orhandle members formed separate from the structure of. the bag itself.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a paper bag orthe like with a handle portion formed adjacent the closure end of thebag and from the material of the bag itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag of the characterstated in which the handle portion thereof is coextensive with theclosure forming portion thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag of the characterstated which includes a reinforcing plate of relatively stifi deformablesheet material disposed intermediate two of the plies forming onewall-of the bag, the reinforcing plate being located within that portionof the bag defining the closure thereof after the mouth has beencollapsedvsubsequent to filling whereby the plate may be included withinand reinforce the folds of a formed closure.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a bag ofthe characterstated in which the closure forming portion of the collapsed bag mouthincludes an upstanding portion having a stifiening element securedintermediate two of the plies forming one wall thereof,

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag of the characterstated in which the closure forming portion of the collapsed bag mouthincludes an upstanding portion having a stifiening element securedintermediate two of the plies forming one wall thereon, a zigzag foldadjacent one side of said upstanding portion and a downwardly extendinglip adjacent the other side of said upstanding portion on one side andadhesive means for securing the downwardly extending lip to the adjacentside of said upstanding portion.

method of forming a handle defining bag closure of the characterdescribed.

With these and other objects in view, the nature of which will becomemore apparent. the invention will be more fully understood by referenceto the drawing, the accompanying detailed description, and the appendedclaims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a bag with the stiffening element indicated indotted lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged .end elevation of the upper part of the bag;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section of the collapsed bag mouth;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the steps taken in the formation of thehandle defining closure;

f Fig. 7 is a detail end elevation of a modified orm;

Fig. 8 is a detail end elevation of an additional modified form in whichthe extreme end portion of the collapsed bag mouth is turned under; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the upper end of a bag having a handleportion constructed in accordance with this invention.

Referring to thedrawing in detail the invention as illustrated isembodied in a multi-ply bag 5 having inner and outer plies 6 and Irespectively. A rectangular stiffening element 8, out from sheetcardboard or other relatively stifl sheet material of limitedflexibility, is secured between the plies G and 1 of one side wall ofthe bag and is located near the upper end at the closure forming portionthereof.

v In forming the handle defining closure in accordance with thisinvention the bag mouth to which the stiffening. element has beenapplied is first collapsed, and then a lower crease line 9 and apair ofupper crease lines l0, III are. formed in the collapsed bag mouth. Itshould be noted that the crease line 9 substantially bisects the providean upstanding return fold, generally indicated at H, the remainingportion of the collapsed bag mouth extending laterally along the lowercrease line In (see Fig. 4). The upstanding return fold II is maintainedin the folded position by staples or other securing means I! locatedadjacent the ends of the fold, leaving the central portion thereofclear. A stripe l3 of adhesive is then applied to the opposite side ofthe upstanding fold II. The laterally projecting free'end of thecollapsed bag mouth' is then bent up alongside the adjacent portion ofthe return Another object of the invention is to provide a fold ll, overthe upper edge thereof, and thence downwar to terminate in. a downwardlyextending lip is located on the opposite side or the return fold. Thusthe secaring means 63 of the upstanding return fold are completelycovered and out of sight. The lip id is pressed against the adhesivestripe as to secure it against the adjacent portion of the upstandingretu fold to complete the closure. In carrying a bag having a closureconstructed in accordance with the invention, the user's fingers areinserted under the lower free edgeof the return fold ii and between thefold and the upstanding portion of the collapsed bag mouth. Since thefold securing means I! vare disposed near the ends of the fold, theinsertion of a user's fingers will displace the central portion of thefold outwardly to define the carrying handle. In Fig. 7 of the drawingthere is illustrated a slightly modified form of closure in which thecollapsed bag mouth is first formed into the return fold i l and then astiifening element I is superposed over the upper edge of the fold innested relation and secured in position relative thereto by staples orother securing means IS. The remaining portion of the collapsed bagmouth is brought up over and around the return fold in the mannerdescribed in connection with the original form.

In Fig. 8 of the drawing there is illustrated an additionalmodification, of a closure which is similar to that disclosed in Fig. 6except that the extreme end portion of the collapsed bag mouth is tuckedin to form an upwardly directed return fold I! to thereby provide asomewhat neater finish to the closure.

Thus it will be seen that the herein disclosed invention provides amultiply bag with an integrally formed handle at the closure endthereof,

in which the handle portion is coextensive with the closure formingportion of the bag, and which employs spaced securing means to therebypermit outward displacement of the central portion of the closure foldon one side to define a carrying handle.

It is of course to be understood that certain details of arrangement andproportions of parts may be variously modified without exceeding thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A handle defining closure for paper bags and the like havingcollapsed upstanding bag mouths and including a stiffening elementpositioned within the closure forming area of said collapsed bag mouth,said collapsed bag mouth and the stiffening element carried therebybeing bent to form a return fold, means for securing said return fold inthe folded position leaving the free end of the collapsed bag mouththere unsecured, said return fold securing means being located only atplaces adjacent the ends of said return fold whereby a portion of theclosure intermediate the secured ends of said return fold may bedisplaced outwardly to define a carrying handle, said free end of thecollapsed bag mouth aaeaaas being bent over said return told and thencedownwardly along the opposite side thereof, and means for securing thesame. against said return iold.

2. A handle defining closure for multi-ply bags and the like havingcollapsed upstanding bag mouths and including a stiffening elementintermediate two of the wall forming piles of the bag within the closureforming area thereof, said collapsed bag mouth and the stiffeningelement carried thereby being bent to form a return fold. means securingsaid return fold at places adjacent the ends thereof leaving the freeend of the collapsed bag mouth unsecured. said free end of the collapsedbag mouth being bent over said return fold and thence downwardly alongthe opposite side thereof. and means for securing said free end againstsaid return fold, a portion of the closure intermediate the secured endsof said return fold being displaced outwardly to thereby define acarrying handle.

3. A handle defining closure for multi-ply paper bags and the likehaving collapsed upstanding bag mouths and including a stiffeningelement located intermediate two of the wall forming plies of the bagwithin the closure forming area thereof, said collapsed bag mouth andthe stiffening element carried thereby being bent to form a return fold,means for securing said return fold at places adjacent the ends thereofleaving the free end of the collapsed bag mouth unsecured,'said free endof the collapsed bag mouth being bent over said return fold and thencedownwardly along the opposite side thereof, the extreme end portion ofsaid free end being turned under, and means for securing the sameagainst said return fold, a portion of the closure intermediate thesecured ends of said return fold being displaceable outwardly to therebydefine a carrying handle.

4. A multi-ply paper bag including a bottom. side walls, and end walls,the upper parts of said walls being collapsed to thereby form anupstanding collapsed bag mouth, a reinforcing plate of relatively stifldeformable sheet material interposed between two of the piles formingone side wall and located within that portion of the collapsed bag mouthfrom which the closure is formed, the lower' portion of said collapsedbag mouth being folded transversely along substantially the median lineof said reinforcing plate to form a return fold, means for securing onlythe ends of said fold and said reinforcing plate in folded positionleaving the central portions thereof unsecured whereby the centralportions of said fold and said reinforcing plate may be displacedoutwardly by the insertion of a user's fingers to form a handle definingpocket, the remaining upper portion of said collapsed bag mouth beingcarried along the outer face of the adjacent side of said return fold,over the crease thereof, and being secured to the opposite side thereof.

ROYAL T. MOORE.

